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IAEA to hold next discussions on project to construct nuclear reactor in Azerbaijan

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will start negotiating on construction of a nuclear reactor in Baku.

"A broad delegation from Azerbaijan will go to the headquarters in Vienna on June 24-25 to discuss five projects which Azerbaijan implements jointly with the IAEA, including building a research nuclear reactor," Adil Garibov, director of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan (NASA) Institute of Radiation Problems, told Trend .

Last year, the IAEA Board of Governors has approved a project to build the first research nuclear reactor in Azerbaijan. The Institute has to prepare a draft for the project within three years and submit it to the IAEA. The government gave permission for the construction of the country's first research nuclear reactor. Initially, the construction of a nuclear reactor power is 30 MW. The reactor to be built in Baku village Pirekushkyul.

According to preliminary draft project the capacity of the reactor will reach 10-15 MWt.

"Originally the construction of nuclear reactor power was 30 MW, but we came to the decision to reduce the power reactor due to the global financial crisis. According to preliminary calculations, the construction of such a reactor would cost 100 million manats," Garibov said.

Discussions are held to operate reactors in Russia, Argentine, France and Canada, he said.

The capacity of the research nuclear reactor and budget to be determined after the draft is designed. IAEA allocated $270,000 for the draft project.

Construction of the research nuclear reactor will damage the ecological balance in Azerbaijan, Chairman of the Green party of Azerbaijan Mais Gulaliyev told Trend .

Azerbaijani ecologists believe the reactor will increase radioactivity that will damage the health of the population.